Wyoming

Practice what you preach: ASU generates three turnovers against Wyoming

Published

1 year ago

September 1, 2024

Press Room

Practice what you preach: ASU generates three turnovers against Wyoming

Four games. That’s how long it took for the Arizona State defense to generate its first turnover in 2023.

Forty seconds. That’s how it long it took for ASU to get its first turnover for this 2024 season.

Redshirt junior linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu read Wyoming junior quarterback Evan Svoboda perfectly and intercepted the Mesa Red Mountain alum on the second play of the game, returning it for a touchdown to start the year in near-perfect fashion for the Sun Devils to establish an early 7-0 lead.

They didn’t stop there either.

On the very next offensive drive for the Cowboys, facing a long third-and-23, the ASU defense again capitalized on a mistake from Svoboda, this time as another linebacker – junior Keyshaun Elliott – intercepted Svoboda on an overthrown pass. Seven plays later, redshirt sophomore Ian Hershey booted a 29-yard field goal to make it 10-0 at the 6:19 mark in the first quarter.

Coach Kenny Dillingham called the linebacker room the “most improved” during the preseason. And less than 10 minutes into the first game, the group proved him right. It’s also a testament to ASU’s ability in the transfer portal as both Fiaseu and Elliott are transfers. The Sun Devils picked up 30 transfers this past offseason, with the class ranking No. 30 in the nation and fourth in the Big 12, according to 247Sports.

ASU added its third turnover of the game in the third quarter when Svoboda attempted to hit wide receiver Tyler King on a swing pass to the left, but threw the ball behind his intended target. ASU redshirt senior Justin Wodtly scooped it up and ran 6 yards for the touchdown to make it 41-0 with 6:07 to go in the third quarter.

It was all part of a superb evening from the ASU defense, which held Wyoming to just 53 yards of total offense in the first half. Wyoming didn’t score its first points until 2 seconds remained in the game.

One of the themes of spring and fall camp for ASU was emphasizing the need for turnovers.

Great play all around: Sam Leavitt leads ASU to convincing victory in 1st career start

“I expect us to run to the football, and I expect us to get takeaways this year,” ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said ahead of the season.

ASU didn’t get its first takeaway until the first quarter of the fourth game of last season against USC when linebacker Tate Romney recovered a fumble. The Sun Devils were the last team among FBS schools to force their first turnover last season.

ASU was a dismal 127th — out of 130 schools — last year in turnover margin. Rice, Nebraska, and Temple were the only schools to finish below ASU in 2023.

That trend is now shifting in favor of the Sun Devils. The message is starting to get through.

“It’s incredible,” Dillingham said in his postgame news conference. “Every single day — guys are probably bored of it — we start our team meeting and the only two things I show are: effort plays and takeaways. That’s it. Bad ball security, takeaways, effort. That’s it. I don’t show anything else. It’s those two things, over and over. It’s just to get in their mind that if you play really hard and you win the turnover battle, all these schemes that you’re about to go do are awesome, but they’re obsolete. And we have to be able to do those two things, and then go play smart football. That was game-changing when you turn the ball over at that rate. It was as close to a shutout as you can possibly get. So in my mind, it’s a shutout and it’s two defensive touchdowns. Awesome job by our defense tonight. They deserve it because they’ve been working hard.”

ASU also executed on running the ball as senior running back Cam Skattebo (11 carries, 49 yards, one touchdown) and redshirt senior running back DeCarlos Brooks (six carries, 47 yards, one touchdown) led a potent, multipronged ground attack.

Even redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt got in on the action, showcasing his scrambling ability to the tune of 47 yards on eight carries.

In all, the Sun Devils rushed for 241 yards on 49 carries as a team. ASU had 499 yards of total offense on the night in a commanding 48-7 victory.

Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, ASU and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@gannett.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe.

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Wyoming

Wyoming Business Council says the future is nuclear

Published

13 hours ago

November 21, 2025

Press Room

Wyoming Business Council says the future is nuclear

The future is nuclear, at least according to the Wyoming Business Council (WBC).

WBC launched a new community conversation series, called “Building Wyoming’s Future.”

The first webinar focused on the nuclear industry in the state.

“It really kind of shared a holistic vision for how this new energy and new advanced fuel in the new nuclear industry is going to make a difference for Wyoming,” said WBC CEO Josh Dorrell.

The public webinar focused on the proposed BWX Technologies (BWXT) advanced nuclear fuel facility in Gillette and Campbell County. It highlighted how the project would serve as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation and long-term opportunity across the state.

“[It] showed that it’s not just one company that benefits, but it’s a number of companies across the state that are already benefiting from this, and more will continue as this industry opens its doors to Wyoming,” said Dorrell.

The state is considering investing in BWX Technologies in the form of $100 million through the Large Project Energy Matching Fund. BWXT would put down over $400 million. According to WBC, the project would create more than 200 jobs and long-term economic benefits like an increased tax base and a new energy export.

But not all growth is seen as positive. Critics have already sent one nuclear company away – Radiant Industries’ proposed factory for portable nuclear microreactors near Bar Nunn. It came from people’s concerns that the state could have become a nuclear dump site for the nation.

WBC said Wyoming needs to be forward-thinking.

“Are we as a state going to make sure we put things in as a state from a policy perspective that both protect the state and invite business to come?” asked Dorrell.

According to Gov. Mark Gordon, Wyoming, as an “all of the above” energy policy state, welcomes most energy sources under the president’s “drill baby drill” push.

That’s even as Trump cancels almost $8 billion in grants for clean energy projects in 16 states.

“I think we’ve got to take a look at our state and the wealth that we have in the state to utilize that to secure our own future. I don’t think we want to be dependent upon the federal government. We were already influenced heavily by the fact that we want to use our own wealth to determine our future,” said Dorrell.

The Wyoming Energy Authority is accepting public comment on the state’s investment in BWXT until Nov. 25.

Gordon is expected to make a decision by Dec. 15.

The next community conversation from WBC will be focused on “critical minerals beyond the rocks.”

Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.

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Wyoming

Wyoming lawmakers advance bills in attempt to limit gambling

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2025

Press Room

Wyoming lawmakers advance bills in attempt to limit gambling

CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Legislature’s Management Council voted this week to advance a package of gambling-related bills aimed at tightening regulatory control and making money laundering a felony in the state. The group of legislative leaders also rejected a contentious proposal placing a statutory cap on Historic Horse Racing (HHR) terminals. The five bill drafts, originally developed by the …

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